verb
-
to cause feelings of horror in; terrify; frighten
-
to dismay or shock greatly
Other Word Forms
- horrification noun
- horrifyingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of horrify
1785–95; < Latin horrificāre to cause horror, equivalent to horri- (combining form of horrēre to bristle with fear; horrendous ) + -ficāre -fy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That could melt down world financial markets and horrify his already disgruntled allies in Europe, Asia and the Gulf.
From BBC
She says the man she knew before he was prescribed the drug would have been "horrified" by his behaviour.
From BBC
Dario was horrified as he watched his colleagues be fired one by one, which he considered needlessly cruel.
Geumsong was horrified to discover he would be separated from his mother.
From BBC
"It horrifies me it should anger all of us," she said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
